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dwell Magazine Features Cross Laminated Timber Cabin

Architect Jesse Garlick wanted his second home to be as energy efficient as possible, so he leveraged the structural and environmental benefits of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) in the design of the wall, floor and roof. Rightfully proud of his building’s tight envelope and thermal properties, he says “The thermal mass of the CLT walls is amazing!”

“We also have no beams,” he adds, proud of his open-concept living space, whose design owes much to the structural integrity of the CLT panels. “We wanted a type of origami design where the house sort of folds into an intricate design. We were able to use maximum cantilever to achieve this.”

Aesthetics did not, however, overshadow practicality, and he goes on to explain that “not only do we have sweeping views, but energy use is minimized because of the amount of natural light we have.” Garlick remained true to his sustainability goals: “The building is completely off the grid. We have a solar system, wood windows, and wood heat. I am a fan of wood for all the reasons; sustainability, it’s a local material and the warmth it brings to interiors.”

Garlick’s use of CLT, an engineered structural product constructed from solid lengths of natural wood, increased material costs, but provided him with more design flexibility.

“I was completely amazed at how a pre-fabricated product could produce such a super high quality building,” says Garlick, whose amazement reminds us that CLT is a very different sort of building material, one that expands possibilities but also requires different expectations.

Garlick’s second home is the main feature of dwell magazine this month.